For the third time this day Hong Bao left the scribe's palace. But instead of the tears and the daze she left the previous two times with, this time, Hong Bao felt nothing but determination. She would save her loved one! Whatever it might take, she would find a way. Nothing was too hard to achieve this goal. Even going against the whole nine heavens!
She hurried back to the courtyard and this time managed to catch Leng Jin Yu.
"Leng Jin Yu!" Hong Bao grabbed his arm and scrunched up her face.
Leng Jin Yu sighed. "What is it now? Did the fate's scribe ignore you again?"
"No! It's way, way, way worse! You have to help me!"
Leng Jin Yu lifted his brows. Normally, he'd think, that this was indeed a major problem. But … it was Hong Bao, who told him about it. Knowing her for a week was enough to know, that it was entirely possible for her to say something like that, even if she just found out that one of her cookies had been scorched after the fate's scribe ate it. In that case, she might describe in detail, how he had furrowed his brow, how his gaze had darted around and how he had struggled to swallow it down. She'd describe it as dramatically as if she had just seen the demise of a hundred lower realms.
Considering this, Leng Jin Yu didn't show the worried expression Hong Bao had hoped for. He only calmly looked at her. "What happened? We'll see, what we can do about it."
"Not here!" She peeked around, as if every person in the vicinity could be eavesdropping on the huge secret she wanted to tell. Leng Jin Yu didn't answer and just let her grab his sleeve and lead him to an unoccupied corner.
"So, what is this about?"
"The things you know about Shun Tao's mission: You can't tell them to anyone!"
Leng Jin Yu lifted his brows. How come she tells me that after I just came back from discussing it with the god of war? This couldn't be some elaborate plan the fate's scribe and the god of war had made together to test for both of their palaces? He considered this possibility, but finally decided, that this was most likely just Hong Bao being her usual self. "Why is that?"
Hong Bao bit her lower lip and peeked around again. Satisfied, that nobody seemed to be around, she bent forward and waved him a little closer. "Shun Tao told me today: He could be killed because of this!"
Leng Jin Yu's brows lifted a little higher. "Because of the possible recruits?"
Hong Bao nodded earnestly. Leng Jin Yu repressed a sigh. "What exactly has he said?"
"I can't tell you!"
"Why that?"
Hong Bao peeked around again. "I had to promise him. I can't tell you more, really."
"But didn't you want my help?"
Hong Bao pursed her lips. "Can't you help me without knowing?"
Leng Jin Yu shrugged. "If it's about not saying anything … Of course I can comply in the future. Unfortunately, today the god of war came by and asked about it already. I didn't see a need to hide anything, so naturally I answered him honestly."
"What?!" Hong Bao's eyes went wide and she grabbed the hem of his robe. "You have to go back there immediately! Tell him you misunderstood or something!"
Leng Jin Yu grabbed her wrists and forced her hands down. "That would just make it all the more obvious, that something is wrong."
"Than would do we do?"
"I can't help you, if I don't know, what is going on. You'll have to figure it out on your own." He turned around, but Hong Bao grabbed his sleeve.
"No! You're so much more intelligent than me. You have to help me!" Hong Bao certainly didn't think of herself as dumb, but she did regard herself as a kindhearted person, that wasn't able to understand those cunning ways of the people with high status.
Leng Jin Yu returned to facing her. "Then you'd have to tell me what is going on."
Hong Bao pursed her lips. I promised Shun Tao, that I wouldn't. But if I don't, than we might never find a way to get him out of this mess. I don't want him to die! Shun Tao doesn't know Leng Jin Yu, but I'm sure, he wouldn't speak about it, when he knows how high the stakes are! Instead, he might have a way to help him …
She contemplated a bit further, than pulled him with her. "I'll tell you, but we can't talk here. Nobody else may know of this!"
And like that, the promise Hong Bao had given Shun Tao, was broken the very same day. Ah, a woman in love should never be trusted. She might just get her adored one killed with her good intentions …